The New Girl
by Topaz Fox
Summary: When 13 year old Wakka goes for a swim one afternoon, he meets an interesting young girl who is new to Besaid Island. How will their meeting affect Wakka's future?


(Hey, this is Topaz! I gotta say, I just love Lulu and Wakka. I honestly think FFX focuses too much on Tidus and Yuna...they should have given more attention to Lulu and Wakka's relationship. But I ramble. Enjoy the story! -Topaz Fox)

(**Disclaimer--**I don't own FFX or any of its characters or anything like that.)

"Bye, guys! See you tomorrow, ya?" Wakka waved to his new teammates and began to walk home. He started to whistle, elated that he had been chosen for Besaid Island's junior blitzball team, the Aurochs. He had practiced so hard every day after school, and finally, he had been picked. The island sun seemed to shine even brighter than usual as Wakka ambled along, stopping to talk to friends and neighbors. The lizard-green palm fronds clacked against each other in the tropical breeze. Every now and then, the rush of the ocean was pierced with the cries of seabirds. _Praise Yevon, _Wakka said to himself, _for such a perfect day_.

Since it was such a nice afternoon, Wakka decided to stop at the lagoon on his way home. Maybe he'd even go for a swim. His mother wouldn't be expecting him till around dinnertime anyway, to baby-sit his kid brother Chappu.

Wakka walked a little farther, eventually making his way along the winding dirt path to the beach. From there, he strode up the golden expanse of sand to a little alcove in a sandstone cliff. The inside of the alcove was frosted with lively green plants, and in the center of it all was the lagoon, glassy and blue.

Wakka immediately unlaced his sandals and took off his shirt, revealing tanned, lean muscles. With a massive splash, he dove into the clear water. He felt his mind cool down as soon he went under. He calmly opened his eyes and watched tiny yellow fish dart by, sometimes chasing them into patches of seaweed. For quite a while, he swam idly around, rarely needing to surface for air.

About an hour had passed when, even from underwater, Wakka got the feeling he was being watched. He surfaced and glanced toward shore. Indeed, there was someone there. Wakka gulped. _Great. Why's there a girl watchin' me?_

Wakka may have been good at blitzing, but he was terrible at dealing with the opposite sex.

This girl didn't exactly look like an islander. Instead of the tight, citrus-colored clothes of the Besaidians, she wore a simple black dress that showed only her smooth shoulders. Her skin was the off-white color of milk, and her hair was liquid-black, like rain at night. Her pretty face was heavily painted with dark makeup. She had brilliant crimson eyes, a trait that Wakka had never seen before. He was suddenly curious and swam closer.

He was practically back on land when he felt his stomach knot up nervously. _What am I doing? Am I gonna start talkin' with her or what? _It was a new idea, to be sure. Wakka hadn't ever actually initiated a conversation with a girl his age, even though he was fourteen and he should have done so long ago.

_Okay, Wakka. Be cool, ya? _Wakka climbed onto shore a few yards away from the girl. His shirt and shoes happened to be right near where the girl was sitting, so he tried to look as cool and self-assured as possible and strode over to get them.

Wakka grabbed his shirt from the tree branch where it had hung. He prayed silently to Yevon, took a breath, and said to the girl, "Hey." The girl didn't respond, or even look at him. Wakka tried again. "You, uh…you new around here?" The girl looked up this time. "…Yes." Her voice was beautifully different. It had no traces of a jubilant Besaid accent, and was really quite deep and mysterious. Wakka was drawn to it like a moth to flame.

"Oh. So, uh…how long've you been here?"

"A week."

"Do you like it here?"

"…I guess."

Wakka scratched his head. "You, uh, don't talk much, do you?"

"No."

There was a very awkward silence. The girl seemed to be inspecting Wakka, regarding him with mild amusement, as one might regard an animal at the zoo. At last, the girl appeared satisfied, and she smiled very slightly. "I'm sort of hungry," she said. "Could you show me where to get something to eat around here?" Wakka was relieved, and he grinned back at her. "No problem! Come with me." He put on his shirt and shoes and turned to lead the way, but paused and turned back to the girl. "Um, uh…by the way, I'm Wakka. What's, ah, what's your name?" The girl rose to her feet. "My name is Lulu."

On their way to the Nautili Café ("Best on the island," everyone said), Wakka pried as much out of Lulu as he dared. She was thirteen, a year younger than Wakka. She had no brothers or sisters, and lived with her mom and dad on the other side of the island. She used to live in Luca, the bustling festival city, but her mother was sick and the doctor had said that a tropical atmosphere would make her better. Lulu would be starting school tomorrow. Once Wakka felt uncomfortable asking any more questions, he made a point of showing Lulu the island's beauty. She didn't seemed charmed by the little thatched hut or the cheerful natives. On the outside, she didn't seem to feel much at all, but Wakka noticed the way that her eyes danced when he showed her something new. _Maybe that's her way of smiling._

The pair at last came to the Nautili Café. They each sat down on a bamboo barstool. Senno, the Café's friendly manager, grinned at Wakka. "Hey, Wakka, who's this? Haven't seen her around before." Wakka grinned back. "This is Lulu," said Wakka almost proudly. "She just moved here from Luca." Lulu nodded and smiled just a little. "Pleased to meet you, sir." Senno chuckled. "Wow. You're polite, ya? You're gonna love it here. So anyways, what can I get you two?"

Wakka ordered the Café's famous coconut cake, and Lulu decided to get the same. When they first got their food, they were quiet. Wakka had asked every question he dared on the way to the Café. The silence grew more and more uncomfortable, until Wakka finally broke the ice. "So, Lulu…how do you like Besaid so far?"

Lulu didn't look up, but responded, "It's…a lot different than Luca. It's smaller, and there are a lot less people. Everyone is happier, too." Wakka was surprised. "Aren't people happy in Luca? I know they have lots of festivals there." Lulu cast her eyes down. "Yes, we did have more celebrations than most places, but happiness doesn't come from holidays. It comes from life. There was lots of crime in Luca: stealing, vandalism, hurting, even killing." Wakka raised his eyebrows. Lulu continued, "People always got drunk there, from all the celebrating. Once, there was a man who drank too much and set three houses on fire. Nobody in the district slept for a week. There was a lot of fear in Luca. Here, there doesn't seem to be much fear at all, and life seems to be pretty peaceful."

Minutes blended into hours as the two talked. Long after the cake on their plates had vanished, the two remained on the barstools, conversing. Wakka did most of the talking, but all the while Lulu listened intently. Her face rarely changed expression, yet her eyes blazed like fire when Wakka told her about Besaid's many features: the sun, the flawless beaches, the endless miles of blue ocean, the little networks of raised huts spanning across the water. He told her about the lagoons and waterfalls, the jewel-toned tropical birds, and how the sunsets would turn the sea almost completely orange. Lulu blinked when Wakka mentioned the Chamber of the Fayth. "The Fayth," Lulu repeated. "What's that?"

Wakka grinned in his boyish way. "You don't know about the Fayth? I can tell you everything about…" The clock on the wall suddenly caught Wakka's eye. "Oh no! Sorry, Lulu, but I gotta get home. My mom, she want me to baby-sit my brother tonight." Lulu nodded and stood up. To Wakka's great surprise, Lulu brushed her lips quickly against Wakka's cheek. She said softly, "No problem. Thanks for the date." Wakka turned macaw red. "I-it wasn't…a…" Lulu only smiled; a real genuine smile that lit up her whole lovely face. With that, she turned and left.

"Come on, man. Pay up." Senno's managed to break Wakka's momentary trace. Still dazed, Wakka left the money on the counter and wandered out of the door. He was kind of hoping that Lulu would still be close by, but she was nowhere in sight.

On his way home, Wakka thought about the amazing day he'd had. _First the blitzball team, and then Lulu! Man, I have never met a stranger or more wonderful girl than her. _Wakka likened her to the flytrap plants that grew near the lagoon: once you got her to open up, she'd steal your heart if she wanted to.

He thought about what she'd said earlier. _She'll be starting school tomorrow… _"I'm gonna keep an eye out for her," he told the yellow sun. He gazed up at the small puffy clouds that chased each other across the blue sky. "Who knows. Maybe…maybe we'll be real close one day."

Fin 


End file.
